In many types of welding operations, a wire feeder feeds welding wire to a welder. The welding wire is normally wound upon coils or reels and is unwound therefrom as wire is being consumed. For example, see my previous patents, namely U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,456,198; 4,465,246; 4,508,291; 4,602,753; and 4,681,277.
In an effort to reduce the costs connected with the manufacture of welding wire dispensers, one or more devices have been previously provided wherein the welding wire dispenser is bolted or otherwise secured to the upper end of the stationary reel. For example, see U.S. Pat. No. 4,253,624 wherein a let-off arm rotates counterclockwise around the coil, releasing one strand of wire per revolution. A problem associated with the let-off devices such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,263,624 is that when the wire feeder discontinues its pulling or feeding operation, there is not sufficient force exerted on the welding wire to prevent the welding wire from falling downwardly on the coil or "shingleing" as it is commonly called. Although the let-off arm of U.S. Pat. No. 4,253,624 does have a brake means which yieldably resists the rotation of the let-off arm, there is apparently no means associated therewith which will exert sufficient force on the wire to prevent the shingleing or tangling of the wire.